Eurostar has confirmed a great start to 2008 with first half sales increased by approximately 25 per cent.

Passenger traffic increased by 18 per cent to around 4.63 million passengers.  This increase has partly been  attributed to the new high speed line between the Channel Tunnel and St Pancras station.

This fast service to Paris is presenting serious opposition to airlines like Air France and British Airways.

Guillaume Pepy, president of Eurostar, said:

“Environmental considerations, the reduced journey times and a strong punctuality record are leading increasing numbers of people to choose Eurostar.”

Sales have now gone on sale for direct services to popular ski destinations for this winter so the company expects sales to increase even further now.  Destinations will include La Plagne, Tignes, Meribel, the French Alps and Les Arcs and will commence on 20th December.

According to new figures recently released, France is still the leader in the world tourism industry.  The figures from the tourism ministry for France, seen by Reuters, confirm around 82 million visitors for 2007 a growth of 4 per cent compared to 2006 and staying ahead of its closest rivals, Spain.

Of those 82 million visitors, 14 million were passing through.  The remaining 68 million were visiting the country as their final destination.  France’s visitor market is made up largely of Europeans, who comprised 46 per cent of the market.  Britain, Belgium and Germany were major contributors and the number of visitors from Switzerland, Portugal, Spain and Italy grew.

Although the number of American visitors also increased, the weak dollar versus the euro did appear to cause a slight slowdown in the last quarter of 2007.  US visitors spend the longest time in France with an eight night average, compared with Europeans who stayed just under six nights and the Japanese who tayed for an average of five nights.

The legend of King Arthur is a well known one, and this year an exhibition celebrating the legendary monarch will open in the city of Rennes in the region of Brittany in France.

The exhibition opens at the Champs Libres, the cultural hub of Rennes, where there are other space dedicated to science and Brittany’s history.  The King Arthur exhibition will open on the 15th July this year and run until January 2009, on two floors of the Champs Libres.

There will be over 200 pieces on display including an illustrated manuscript of the Round Table.  The display, according to the Brittany Tourist Board, is the first ever display celebrating King Arthur’s legend.  The story will be presented not only in its historical form but also in a contemporary format, attracting the younger generation to take part.

Rennes makes a great city break, flights are regular and cheap and the region of Brittany makes a great family holiday.

Brittany is a gorgeous, windswept coastline of France, although the people there have kept their own ancient culture, language and cuisine separate from the rest of France, leaving Brittany a beautiful region worth a visit on its own.

Originally named Armorica by the Romans in 56BC, the Celts renamed it Britanny in the 5th century.  Britanny was passed from one royal family to another until it was finally integrated into France in 1532.  The French did try to ban the Breton language, but it still thrives and is alive and well today.

The capital of Brittany is Rennes, if any, and flights to Rennes airport take only 50 minutes from Gatwick, so it can be a cheap holiday.  Many people choose to go self-catering, although there are some delightful bed and breakfasts or local hotels.

There are many colourful and vibrant markets held daily or weekly in the historic town squares throughout the region.  In Rennes, there is an art gallery containing works of Leonardo, Picasso and other greats, as well as the Breton Museum, a good place to start your trip to the region.

A walk along the cliffs is exhilerating although there are many less breezy and just as beautiful walks available.  For the sandy beaches, a trip to Brest is a good idea, which also has an excellent aquarium and naval museum.

Be sure to sample the local pancakes, a sweet delicacy, and there are many festivals throughout the year if you can time your trip to see them.